The Violence of the American Dream

Visions of the American Dream have inspired generations of recent and established immigrants alike. The American Dream is a story of hope and fulfillment of a better life. Yet embedded in the American Dream are assumptions that undermine its very aspirations: try hard enough (on your own) and you will succeed; success means owning (a lot) more than others; violence is a viable solution to intractable social or environmental problems (like racism, settler colonialism, immigration, drug use, and the extraction of natural resources). Martin Luther King recognized the violence inherent in the American Dream and called for a different kind of dream, a dream no longer dependent on a sense of manifest destiny, a dream free from domination, a dream accessible to all.

Next Sunday Service

We will explore some of the creative, effective ways people past and present have countered violence with nonviolent protest. In large social justice movements and in our day-to-day lives, there are actions we can take to help de-escalate conflict and reduce violence.